KR101900373B1 - Method and system for maintaining multifunction printer - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for maintaining and repairing a multi-function product comprises: a step where a maintenance and repair device receives an error code generated by a multi-function product to transfer the error code to a server; a step where the server searches for a manual corresponding to the error code in a manual database; a step where the server analyzes text included in a searched first manual; a control signal transmission step where the server transmits a first control signal including the first manual and a manual output signal to the maintenance and repair device if a keyword previously classified by a keyword associated with an output function does not exist in the text as a result of the analysis, and transmits a second control signal including the first manual and a manual transmission signal to the maintenance and repair device if the keyword exists; a step where the maintenance and repair device transmits the first control signal to the multi-function product to control to allow the multi-function product to output the first manual if the first control signal is received from the server; and a step where the maintenance and repair device transmits the first manual to one or more terminals registered in the maintenance and repair device if the second control signal is received from the server. According to the present invention, in case of an error which can be resolved by a simple action, a manual is supplied to a user as soon as the error occurs to facilitate maintenance and repair of a multi-function product.

Description

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MAINTAINING MULTIFUNCTION PRINTER [0001]

The present invention relates to a multifunction apparatus maintenance method and system, and more particularly, to a multifunction apparatus maintenance method and system that is compatible and applicable regardless of manufacturer and type.

Multi-function product (MFP) is an office automation device that can perform various complex functions such as a printer, a copier, a scanner, and a facsimile used in an office at the same time. The multifunction machine has various types and performance ranging from low-cost multifunction machine to expensive multifunction machine used by the company, and it has become one of the most essential office equipment for business performance.

Since multifunction devices can perform multiple functions at the same time, they are more complex than printers and copiers that perform independent functions, and there are various types of faults that can occur. Therefore, it is not easy for users to solve problems when using the MFP, and the maintenance cost is also high.

Due to these problems, in the case of expensive and high-performance multifunctional apparatuses used by companies, a business model in which a maintenance company performs maintenance after receiving a certain amount of money after renting or selling the multifunctional peripheral is utilized. In this case, the maintenance vendor can identify and resolve the problem only for some of the devices they lease or sell, so they can provide more specialized maintenance services to the all-in-one users.

Japanese Patent No. 5987579 (entitled " Liquid Injection Head Maintenance Device "), Korean Patent No. 1344430 (entitled " Printer Device and Its Maintenance Repair method) have been disclosed. However, these devices can function only when included in one configuration of the multifunction apparatus, and their application is limited in that they can solve only specific problems .

As a technique for managing the usage information of the multifunction apparatus, there is Korean Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2018-0075172 (entitled " Integrated Image Usage Information Management System "), but it simply collects and confirms the power state, usage amount, So that the user can not immediately solve the problem in the event of a problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a manual to a user in case of an error that can be solved by simple measures, thereby facilitating maintenance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a maintenance apparatus that can be installed separately from the multifunction apparatus and applicable regardless of the manufacturer and the model of the multifunction apparatus, thereby improving the maintenance easiness of the maintenance company.

Another object of the present invention is to determine the adequacy of the maintenance fee of the maintenance company by recording the breakdown history and the repair history of the multifunction apparatus and providing relevant information, and to accurately predict the replacement timing of each part.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a user with an intuitive understanding of different manuals for each manufacturer to provide a user with a simple solution to the problem.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for maintaining a multi-functional peripheral in a multi-functional peripheral maintenance system, the multi-functional peripheral maintenance method comprising: receiving an error code generated in a multifunctional peripheral and transmitting the error code to a server; Analyzing the text included in the first manual retrieved by the server, and if it is determined that there is no keyword classified as a keyword related to the output function in the text, the server outputs the first manual and manual output signals, And transmitting a second control signal including the first manual and a manual transmission signal to the maintenance apparatus when the first control signal is transmitted to the maintenance apparatus, When receiving the first control signal from the server, And controlling the multifunction peripheral to output the first manual. When the maintenance apparatus receives the second control signal from the server, the maintenance apparatus transmits the first manual to one or more terminals registered in the maintenance apparatus The method comprising the steps of:

According to the present invention as described above, in the case of an error that can be solved by a simple measure, a manual is provided to the user immediately upon occurrence of an error, thereby facilitating maintenance of the multifunction apparatus.

Also, since the maintenance method and apparatus according to the present invention can be applied regardless of the maker and the model of the multifunction apparatus, the ease of maintenance of the maintenance company can be improved.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the failure history and the repair history of the MFP are recorded and managed, the maintenance company can help judge the adequacy of the fee, and can precisely predict the replacement time of each component.

In addition, according to the present invention, since the user is provided with a manual that can be intuitively understood, the user can easily solve the problem.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an operating environment for a MFP maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a view for explaining a configuration of a multifunctional apparatus maintenance apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
3 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of a management server according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 are flowcharts for explaining a multifunction peripheral maintenance method according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an image of a main keyword according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings, which are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same or similar components, and all combinations described in the specification and claims can be combined in any manner. It is to be understood that, unless the context requires otherwise, references to singular forms may include more than one, and references to singular forms may also include plural forms.

FIG. 1 is a view showing an operating environment for a MFP maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1, a multifunctional apparatus maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a multifunction apparatus 100, a maintenance apparatus 200, and a management server 300 (hereinafter, referred to as a server 300) And may further include a management terminal 400. The multifunction apparatus 100 transmits and receives data through the wired and wireless network and the multifunction apparatus 100 connects the at least one terminal 50 to the terminal 50 via the wired / Or may transmit the document file generated through the multifunction apparatus 100 to the terminal 50. [

The multifunction apparatus 100 is an office apparatus that performs various functions such as a printer, a scanner, and a facsimile as described above. The multifunction apparatus 100 includes a computer processor such as a computer 50a, a tablet 50b, and a smart phone 50c used in a home or office. A terminal 50 and a wired / wireless network.

2, the maintenance apparatus 200 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes an electronic device including a communication unit 210, a control unit 230, and a storage unit 250, and includes a beacon unit 270 . The maintenance apparatus 200 serves to mediate between the multifunction apparatus 100 and the server 300. The data generated in the multifunction apparatus 100 may be transmitted to the server 300 and the data received from the server 300 may be transmitted to the multifunction apparatus 100. [ The maintenance apparatus 200 may convert part of the data received from the server 300 into data that can be interpreted by the multifunction apparatus 100 and transmit the data to the multifunction apparatus 100 as needed.

The maintenance apparatus 200 of the present invention can be installed inside or outside the multifunction apparatus 100 and the multifunction apparatus 100 can recognize the maintenance apparatus 200 of the present invention as one of the terminals 50, As a result, the maintenance apparatus 200 can be used universally regardless of the maker and the model of the multifunction apparatus 100.

The communication unit 210 of the maintenance apparatus 200 receives the error code from the multifunction apparatus 100 and can transmit the received error code to the server 300. [ The communication unit 210 includes one or more wired / wireless communication modules, and the communication unit 210 of the present invention is not limited by the communication method and protocol. The communication unit 210 can receive a control signal from the server 300 and transmit the control signal to the multifunction apparatus 100. [

The control unit 230 controls overall functions of the maintenance apparatus 200 and manages and controls functions performed in the maintenance apparatus 200 among the maintenance methods according to an embodiment of the present invention.

For example, when the control unit 230 receives the first control signal including the manual and manual output signals from the server 300, the control unit 230 checks the type of the control signal, and the communication unit 210 transmits the first control signal to the multi- As shown in FIG. The manual output signal included in the first control signal may be the same as the output request signal transmitted from the terminal 500 in general. That is, the multifunction apparatus 100 that has received the first control signal can output the manual to the printing paper provided in the multifunction apparatus 100. [

The manual may be produced by the manufacturer of the multifunction apparatus 100 and provided by the corresponding manual for each error code. It is general that the MFD makers provide an error code for a failure or error that may occur in the MFD 100 produced by the manufacturer and provide a corresponding manual for each error code. For example, an error code A may be set when a paper jam occurs in the tray, and an error code B may occur when the power is turned off while the paper jams during copying. In some MFPs 100, a message may be displayed on a display instead of an error code. In this case, since the user can easily solve the problem through a message, the present invention focuses on the case where an error code is generated do.

The control unit 230 can identify what type of error code is generated in the multifunction apparatus 100 by reading or capturing the contents displayed on the display. In another embodiment, the control unit 230 can directly receive and use the error code generated in the multifunction apparatus 100 through the multifunction apparatus 100 software (or driver).

If there is a manual corresponding to the error code in the storage unit 250, the control unit 230 generates an output signal for outputting a manual corresponding to the error code without transmitting the error code to the server 300, 100). However, if the output function does not operate normally during the trouble occurring in the multifunction apparatus 100, the manual may not be outputted even if the manual is sent to the multifunction apparatus 100. The controller 230 then transmits an error code to the server 300 So that the server 300 can analyze whether the corresponding error code is an error code requiring a manual output or an error code for transmitting a manual to the terminal.

The manual may contain cause and solution for each error code, and may be a document explaining how to solve the problem so that the user can use the manual to solve the problem.

The control unit 230 identifies the control signal received from the server 300. If the control signal is a second control signal including a manual signal and a manual transmission signal, the control unit 230 transmits the manual included in the second control signal to the pre- ). One or more terminals 50 may be registered in the multifunction apparatus 100 and software for transmitting and receiving a document to and from the multifunction apparatus 100 may be installed in each of the one or more terminals 50. [

The control unit 230 can receive and register the identification information of the terminal 50 connected to the multifunction apparatus 100 and can transmit the identification information to the terminal 50 using the wired / (50). The second control signal is a control signal generated by the server 300 when there is a keyword related to the output function in the manual corresponding to the error code, and is a control signal generated when the output function of the multifunction apparatus 100 does not operate.

When the control unit 230 receives the second control signal, the control unit 230 transmits the manual control signal to the terminal 500 registered in the storage unit 250 without outputting the manual through the multifunction peripheral 100, Make sure to check the manual.

The storage unit 250 may store information (an error code and an error message displayed on the display) collected from the multifunction apparatus 100 and information (a manual, etc.) received from the server 300. [ The storage unit 250 may store the control signal reception history generated by the controller 230 and the like. The control signal reception history includes the time at which the error code is transmitted to the server 300, the type of the error code, the type of the control signal received from the server 300 in response to the error code transmission, A beacon signal reception time of the terminal 500, identification information of the terminal 500, and the like.

The beacon unit 270 may broadcast a beacon signal. The beacon unit 270 may be a kind of low-power Bluetooth module, and the beacon signal may include identification information (beacon MAC address or UUID) and RSSI. The beacon signal can be received by the terminal having the Bluetooth communication module and transmitted to the server 300 through an application program installed in the terminal. Detailed embodiments related to this will be described later.

3 is a diagram for explaining a configuration of the management server 300 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 3, the server 300 may include a communication unit 310, a control unit 330, and a storage unit 350.

The communication unit 310 of the server 300 transmits and receives data to and from one or more management terminals 400 registered in the maintenance apparatus 200 and the server 300 as a wired or wireless communication module.

The control unit 330 is a control module for controlling functions of the entire server 300 and may be a computer processor that performs main functions of the MFD maintenance method of the present invention described below. The control unit 330 analyzes the error code received from the maintenance apparatus 200, searches for a manual corresponding to the error code, processes the manual, and performs text analysis. In addition, a control signal may be generated according to the result of text analysis and transmitted to the maintenance apparatus 200. Also, the control unit 330 can generate the maintenance history information of each MFP by using the error codes generated in the MFPs. The detailed operation of the server 300 related to this will be described later with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG.

In addition, the control unit 330 can manage the management terminal 400 registered in the storage unit 350. The management unit 400 is a terminal device that is operated by a maintenance company and the control unit 330 transmits identification information of each management terminal 400 such as a device number and a communication number of the terminal 400 to a terminal user And the management terminal information including the name of the manager, the manager code, the maintenance schedule of the manager, and the like in the storage unit 350. The management terminal 400 can be matched with the multifunction apparatus 100 managed by the maintenance company in a one-to-one or multifaceted manner, and information (multifunction apparatus manufacturer, model name, unique identification number, manufacturing date, repair history, etc.) And may be stored together in the terminal information. Accordingly, when the control unit 330 receives the error code related to the multifunction apparatus A, the control unit 330 performs one or more management operations that match the multifunction apparatus A, regardless of the type of the control signal (the first control signal or the second control signal) By transmitting an error code to the terminal, the management terminal 400 can confirm whether or not an error has occurred in the multifunction apparatus A matched.

The storage unit 350 may store information related to the multifunction apparatus 100, for example, identification information and history of each multifunction apparatus, and may store information of the management terminal 400 matched to the multifunction apparatus 100 . The storage unit 350 includes a manual database that stores a manual corresponding to each of the error codes of each multifunction apparatus, and may include an image database for each major keyword.

The main keyword is a word containing a noun or a verb associated with a major part, main function, or failure content of the multifunction apparatus, and may be set as a main keyword in advance by the manager. For example, function items that are provided by the MFP or displayed on the MFP can be set as the main keywords. The main menu of the MFP has options such as copy, fax, scan and send, receive tray, secure printing, Main menu "can be set as a main keyword, and each term (" copy "," fax ", ...) corresponding to the selected item can be set as a main keyword. This is because the manual generally describes how to operate the multifunction apparatus 100 to solve the problem. In addition, components or configurations of the multifunction device such as " power save key ", " main power switch "

As shown in FIG. 6, the server can store icons, illustrations, real images, and the like corresponding to the main keywords described above in the main keyword-based image database. have. In FIG. 6, (1) is an image corresponding to a "power save key", (2) is a main power switch, and (3) is an image corresponding to a "main menu". Each image may be provided by a multifunctional apparatus manufacturer, and the server may use the main keyword-specific image database constructed by using an image matched with the main keyword for manual processing.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, a method for maintaining a multifunctional apparatus in a maintenance system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. Referring to FIG. 4, when the maintenance apparatus receives an error code generated in the multifunction apparatus (S100), the maintenance apparatus transmits the error code to the server (S200). The server searches the manual database for a manual corresponding to the error code (S300). The manual database may be a database stored in a form in which the manual provided by the manufacturer can be outputted for each of the error codes, and the manual database may be built in a storage unit of the server. The manual may be a text manual, which may be text only, and may include images.

If an image is not included in the manual retrieved at step 300, the server may process the retrieved manual (S400). The server extracts the main keyword from the text included in the manual retrieved at step 400 and inserts the image corresponding to the extracted main keyword into one area of the retrieved manual using the main keyword image database previously stored in the server . For example, if the manual contains the text "Close the main power switch and click" Scan and Send "from the main menu, and if the main power switch and main menu are set as the main keywords, Main power switches "and" main menu "in the manual, and the images ((2) and (3) in FIG. 6) corresponding to each keyword can be inserted into one area of the manual. Therefore, according to the present invention, even if a text manual is provided by a manufacturer, a manual including an image is automatically generated and transmitted to the maintenance device, so that the user can easily solve the problem.

In step 500, the server parses the text contained in the retrieved manual. If step 400 is performed (if the manual is machined), the server will analyze the text contained in the machined manual. As a result of the text analysis, if there is no keyword classified as a keyword related to the output function in the text, the server may transmit a first control signal including a manual and a manual output signal to the maintenance apparatus (S700). The keyword related to the output function is a keyword that can judge whether there is a problem in the output function of the multifunction apparatus and can include keywords such as "paper jam", "cartridge", and "print" have. The absence of a keyword associated with the output function in the text means that the generated error code is related to functions other than the output function of the equipment, for example, scan, copy, fax, network, authentication, security, Can be done normally.

The server allows manuals containing solutions to handle errors to be automatically printed out via this equipment. As a result, the user can reduce the trouble of searching for a solution, and can solve the problem by using a manual output simultaneously with an error. The first control signal includes a manual corresponding to the error code and a manual output signal for instructing the multifunction apparatus to perform the output.

In another embodiment, if there is a keyword associated with the output function in the text, the server may transmit a second control signal including a manual and a manual transmission signal to the maintenance apparatus (S900). The existence of the keyword related to the output function in the text means that the printer function of the multifunction apparatus is not operated, so that the server allows the manual to be transmitted to the multifunction apparatus and / or the terminal connected to the maintenance apparatus. The manual transmission signal is a signal for controlling the maintenance apparatus to transmit the manual to the terminal that is pre-registered.

The maintenance apparatus having received the first control signal transmits the first control signal to the multifunction apparatus (S700), and causes the multifunction apparatus to output the manual included in the first control signal (S750).

The maintenance apparatus having received the second control signal transmits the manual included in the second control signal directly to the terminal 50 registered in advance (S950).

In another embodiment, when a manager needs to take action due to a physical defect, that is, when the text that constitutes a manual includes a keyword such as " visit " or " contact the manager ", the server sends a visit request message It can be automatically transmitted to the management terminal 400 (S800).

Meanwhile, the maintenance apparatus receiving the control signal may generate the beacon signal (S1000). When the server sends a control signal to the maintenance device, the error code and control signal can be transmitted to the pre-registered management terminal. In this case, the manager can visit the site for repairing the multifunction device as needed. In other cases, if the server transmits a visit request message to the management terminal as in step 800, the manager having the management terminal can visit for repairing the multifunction apparatus.

When an arbitrary terminal approaches the periphery of the multifunction peripheral, the terminal can receive a broadcast beacon signal. When a terminal receiving the beacon signal transmits a beacon signal and identification information of the terminal to the server, It is possible to confirm whether or not the terminal is a management terminal. The beacon signal may include beacon identification and signal strength (RSSI). If the arbitrary terminal having received the beacon signal from the multifunctional apparatus as a result of confirmation is the management terminal, the server can transmit the manager manual corresponding to the error code generated in the multifunctional apparatus to the terminal. Since the server can identify the maintenance apparatus and the multifunction apparatus by using the identification information of the beacon, it is also possible to identify the error code generated in the identified multifunction apparatus.

For example, when a manager who has a management terminal for repairing a multifunction apparatus visits a place where the multifunction apparatus is installed, the management terminal transmits the received beacon signal to the server, and can notify the server that the manager has visited. The server recognizes that the MFP has been repaired and records it as history information. By sending the administrator manual to the management terminal, the administrator can solve the problem more professionally.

5 is a flowchart showing a method of identifying the replacement timing of the multifunction apparatus parts in the multifunction apparatus maintenance method according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 5, the server transmits a control signal to the maintenance device in step 700 or 900, extracts a keyword related to the component of the multifunction apparatus from the text included in the manual (S1200), and transmits the control signal The history information may be generated by recording a keyword (S1230). If it is determined that the rate of increase in the frequency of occurrence of a keyword related to a specific part per unit period is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value as a result of generation of the history information, the server may generate a replacement notification message for the relevant component (S1270) .

For example, suppose that the keyword "cartridge" was extracted from the manual once in January, February, and March, twice in April, three in May, and five in June. The server generates the replacement notification message of the cartridge (S1270) and transmits it to the maintenance apparatus 200 and the previously registered management terminal 400 (step S1270) because the increase rate of the frequency of occurrence of the keyword related to the cartridge is higher than the threshold ).

Accordingly, the user can confirm that the cartridge needs to be replaced through the maintenance device 200, and the administrator can confirm that the cartridge replacement time has come through the management terminal 400.

Some embodiments omitted in this specification are equally applicable if their implementation subject is the same. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to be exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention, The present invention is not limited to the drawings.

100: All-in-one
200: MFP maintenance device
300: management server
400:

Claims (5)

Receiving the error code generated by the maintenance apparatus and transmitting the error code to the server;
The server retrieving a manual corresponding to the error code from the manual database;
Analyzing text included in a first manual retrieved by the server;
As a result of the analysis, the server transmits a first control signal including the first manual and manual output signals to the maintenance apparatus if there is no keyword classified as a keyword related to the output function in the text, A control signal transmitting step of transmitting a second control signal including the first manual and a manual transmission signal to the maintenance apparatus;
When the maintenance device receives the first control signal from the server, transmitting the first control signal to the MFP, and controlling the MFP to output the first manual;
And when the maintenance device receives the second control signal from the server, transmitting the first manual to one or more terminals registered in the maintenance device. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising processing the first manual if the server does not include an image in the first manual after searching for a manual corresponding to the error code,
The step of machining the first manual
Extracting a main keyword from text included in the first manual;
And inserting an image corresponding to the extracted main keyword into one area of the first manual using an image database for each keyword stored in advance in the server,
The control signal transmission step
And transferring the first control signal or the second control signal by replacing the first manual with the first manual processed.
The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the server transmits a control signal to the maintenance device,
Extracting a keyword associated with a component of the multifunction apparatus from the text included in the first manual, and recording the history information together with the time at which the control signal was transmitted;
Generating a replacement notification message for the specific component if the rate of occurrence of the keyword related to the specific component is higher than a preset threshold value for the multifunction apparatus as a result of the history information generation;
And transmitting the replacement notification message to the maintenance device and the previously registered management terminal.
The method according to claim 1,
Broadcasting the beacon signal by the maintenance device;
Determining whether the first terminal is a management terminal when the first terminal receives the beacon signal and transmits the beacon signal and identification information of the first terminal to the server;
And if the first terminal is a management terminal, the server transmits an administrator manual corresponding to the error code to the first terminal.
A system for maintaining a multifunction apparatus, comprising:
A maintenance device connected to the multifunction apparatus and the server through a wired / wireless network;
And a server for receiving an error code of the multifunction apparatus through the maintenance apparatus and transmitting a control signal corresponding to the error code or generating a maintenance history of the multifunction apparatus,
The maintenance device
A communication unit for receiving an error code generated in the MFP from the MFP and transmitting the received error code to the server;
When receiving the control signal from the server, transmits the control signal to the MFP in accordance with the type of the control signal to control the MFP to output the manual included in the control signal or to transmit the manual to one or more terminals ;
A storage unit for storing the error code and the manual;
And a beacon portion for broadcasting a beacon signal,
The server
A communication unit for receiving the error code from the maintenance device and transmitting a control signal corresponding to the error code to the maintenance device;
A storage unit for storing a manual corresponding to the error code;
Wherein the server analyzes the text included in the retrieved manual and retrieves the text corresponding to the error code from the storage unit when the error code is received from the maintenance apparatus, And a control unit for generating a first control signal including the manual and manual output signals and generating a second control signal including the manual and manual transmission signals if present, MFP maintenance system

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